Israel will seek to abolish visas for Belarusians, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel to Belarus Yosef Shagal told a press conference. Yosef Shagal expressed hope that by the time he is completing his diplomatic mission in Belarus, visas will have been abolished. “Our countries were close to the abolition of visas. The goal remains intact. We will be working towards it,” said the Ambassador.

Belarus is working to abolish visa requirements with Argentina and Brazil, the chief of the consular office of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus Alyaksandr Astrousky said in an interview to the STV TV channel. “We are actually ready to sign the agreement with Turkey on short-term (maximum 30 days) visa-free trips of citizens. Everything is ready. We have the authority to conduct negotiations and sign the agreement,” he said.

In Vitsebsk, December 1, Belarus and Latvia will exchange written notifications of the internal procedures required for the enactment of the agreement on cross-border movement of borderland residents between the two countries. From this date on, the local authorities may begin drawing up lists of borderland residents eligible for permits, reported in the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus hopes to launch the mechanism of small border traffic with Latvia in the near future. As noted by first deputy foreign minister of Belarus Ihar Petrishanka, Belarus has most advanced in this matter namely with Latvia. "It will be launched just in a few days. The Lithuanians do not hinder the process either," BelTA quoted a representative of the Ministry.

Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has approved a draft intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and the Union of Myanmar on cancelling visas for diplomats and officials as a basis for holding the relevant negotiations.

France and Germany have said the EU should quickly open talks with Russia on visa-free travel despite fears it might send the wrong signal to other post-Soviet states. EUobserver understands the foreign ministers of the two countries outlined their position at an informal dinner in Brussels on Sunday (13 November) with foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton and fellow EU ministers.

Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Belarus supports Russia’s suggestion of a single tourist visa of the Commonwealth of Independent States for foreign nationals. Minister Aleh Kachan notes that facilitated visa regime for foreign tourists will increase tourism markets of the CIS countries. Aleh Kachan says a single visa will let a foreigner travel easily from Russia to Belarus and vice versa, BelTA informs.

On 19 October, the Parliament of Sweden hosted a seminar "EU visa policies and Eastern Partnership countries: prospects and barriers for visa liberalisation", which was initiated and organised by the Polish and Hungarian embassies in Stockholm, the Ostgruppen Swedish civil society organisation and the Warsaw-based Batory Foundation. The event gathered members of the Riksdagen, representatives of the diplomatic community, journalists and civil society activists.

President of Belarus Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed a decree on October 13, approving the draft agreement between the governments of Belarus and Turkey on the mutual abolition of visas as a basis for negotiations. This was reported in the press service of the state.

There is a need to relax visa requirements for attracting more foreign tourists to Belarus, Culture Minister Pavel Latushka said in his statement to the BT TV Channel. “It is important to liberalize the visa regime in order to attract foreign tourists to Belarus. Then the castles in Mir, Niasvizh, Lida and Navahrudak will be visited not only by Belarusians and Russians, but also tourists from Poland and Lithuania,” the minister stated.